W. Virginia Loss Highlights Obama's Weakness

Hillary Clinton easily won West Virginia, beating Barack Obama 67 percent to 26 percent. Clinton's trouncing of Obama did not change the game. Her pick-up of 20 delegates was offset by the 30 superdelegates who moved to Obama in the past week.

West Virginia matters because it highlights Obama's weakness with white working-class voters.
CNN exit polls show that white folks ain't feeling Obama. Indeed, 35 percent of Clinton voters said they would vote for John McCain if Obama is the nominee.

In her victory speech, Clinton said she intends to stay the course:

I am more determined than ever to carry on this campaign until everyone has had a chance to make their voices heard.

She then raised the bar:

Neither of us has the total delegates it takes to win and both Senator Obama and I believe that the delegates from Florida and Michigan should be seated. I believe we should honor the votes cast by 2.3 million people in those states and seat all of their delegates. Under the rules of our party, when you include all 50 states, the number of delegates needed to win is 2,209 (emphasis added), and neither of us has reached that threshold yet. This win in West Virginia will help me move even closer.

Before the polls closed, the Obama campaign released a memo to "Interested Parties." They dismissed his vulnerability with white voters as a "myth":

FACT: Obama's is running as well or better than past Democratic Candidates among white voters.

Fact: In citing exit polls from the general election, the Obama camp is comparing apples with oranges.

To be sure, Democratic presidential candidates have won without a majority of the white vote. But they countered the racial gap with other demographic groups. In November, it will no longer be a black-white paradigm. The changing American electorate means the election will be determined by blacks, whites – and browns.

Obama says he will change the electoral map so West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania are not must-win states. The new battlegrounds will be in states like Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada and New Mexico. To win these swing states, Obama will have to win over Hispanics. But so far, Hispanic voters have not shown him much love.

More Elections Coverage
+ If Only Obama Went To This Church
+ West Virginia Primary, A Must-win State
+ Superdelegates: Profiles In Cowardice
+ Clinton Wins W. Virginia Primary
+ Obama Outlines Plan For November Race